India to take Volkswagen to task after failed emission tests

These vehicles include the Volkswagen Jetta, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Vento

In another major blow to car-makers Volkswagen, the central Government will issue a show-cause notice to the company as three of their diesel models have failed the emissions tests here on Wednesday.

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the testing agency in India, said they have found significant variation in emission level in on-road vehicles of 3 Volkswagen models compared to laboratory measurements. These vehicles include the Volkswagen Jetta, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Vento.

Ambuj Sharma, Additional Secretary, Heavy Industries Ministry said, “The Government will issue a show-cause notice to Volkswagen Group of companies. According to the testing agency ARAI, they have found significant variation in emission level in on-road vehicles of 3 Volkswagen models compared to laboratory measurements.”

This has come as a major blow for the company in the country after the scandal broke out on September 18, when the parent company, Volkswagen AG said the scandal could cost the company more than USD 18 billion.

On October 13, Volkswagen India said they would present their own evaluations of vehicle emissions of various vehicles in the country by November.

“Since there is a complex combination of several brands, various models, different engine variants and gearboxes as well as different model years that need to be analysed, establishing detailed facts is taking a longer time,” said a statement issued on behalf of the company.

According to CNBC-TV18, Volkswagen India is likely to recall 100,000 cars in the country impacted by the diesel emission scandal.

Moreover, Volkswagen India had made a recall of 389 units of Volkswagen Polo on October 9, but the company claimed that the recall had nothing to do with the emissions scandal and was to rectify faulty handbrake.

“In the context of a voluntary safety measure, Volkswagen Passenger Cars in India is calling 389 Polo cars from a single batch of production from the month of September 2015 for inspection and preventive repair of the handbrake mechanism,” Volkswagen India said in a statement.

In the US, Volkswagen AG faces fine of up to USD 18 billion. Models such as Jetta from Volkswagen and Audi A3, which are sold in India too, have been affected by the scandal.

Volkswagen has admitted that 11 million diesel cars worldwide were fitted with devices that can switch on pollution controls when they detect the car is undergoing testing.